Above Ground
by PixieInks
Summary: After reaching the Go-Sci Ring successfully, they now face their next challenge; Surviving the next five years. Can seven people really run what is left of the Ark? How will the Grounders adjust to their new, artificial environment? Will they ever make it home? Slow burn Braven/Rellamy
1. Oxygen

**A/N: I'm currently writing this on my phone as my computer recently passed on so I apologise for any errors or autocorrect fails. I proof read, but sometimes it takes an external eye to spot these things. I am also looking for a beta reader to help out with this, so please PM me if you're over 18 and interested**.

Bellamy closed his eyes and breathed deep; his head still on Echo's lap, she had pulled him free form his helmet as oxygen started following through the vents. They lay still and recovered their strength for a long time before Raven finally hauled herself to her feet. Of course, Raven was the first to move. She was always pushing forward, she was a survivor. Always.

"We need to start the water reclamation and the algae farm" she said, heading down the hallway to the control room. Monty helped Harper to her feet and they followed her. Bellamy got to his feet, the room spun for a moment. He was still feeling the effects of oxygen deprivation, but it passed quickly. He started to follow the others until Murphy caught his arm.

"Leave the nerd stuff to them" he jutted his chin towards the hallway. "We can start unloading the rations."

Bellamy hated to admit it, but he was right. They would probably just be in the way, Monty and Raven could handle those tasks together.

Echo, Bellamy, Emori and Murphy carried the supplies to a common area. Murphy passed out cups of water and MREs to everyone. "I'm fine, Murphy. But… thanks" Raven casually refused.

"Eat, Raven." He insisted "We won't make it up here without you. We need you at your best"

She caved, but refused to leave the control room.

Echo stood at a large viewing window, staring down at the deep orange glow of Earth.

"It used to be a whole lot prettier" Bellamy said, causing Echo to start.

"In 5 years it will again… won't it?" She asked, placing her hand on the glass lightly.

"So says Raven" Bellamy chuckled. "And she hasn't been wrong yet."

Echo's face was drawn and pale.

"Are you OK?" He asked.

"I feel strange."

Bellamy led her to the seats, Emori was sitting there with her head in hands.

"It's probably the artificial gravity." Harper said as she entered the room. She was began to feel like she was in the way in the control room, so she joined the others. "You'll get used to it. We felt a little strange when we first got to Earth."

Bellamy walked the corridors, looking through the living quarters of the better half of the Arks population.

"So this is where you used to live?" It was Echo's turn to startle Bellamy.

"Jeez!" Bellamy whipped around with a fright. Echo smirked. "Not exactly, this is where the leaders and the higher ranking people lived. I lived in one room with my mom and my sister."

"I thought you were a leader amongst your people" Echo puzzled. "They treat you like you are."

"Well… Sometimes. Maybe. But up here I wasn't, I was just another nobody up here."

Echo touched her hand to her head and closed her eyes half way.

"The light hurts." She said, trying to look up at the fluorescent tubes above them.

Bellamy moved the touch panel by the door and slide a dial down; dimming the lights in the room. "Is that better?" He asked. Echo smiled and looked around, bewildered and amused. She tapped the panel and watched as the words and imagines on the screen change.

"Why don't you take this room?" Bellamy asked. "There's a nice bed and there's clothes in the closet that might just fit you. And you'll have your own bathroom."

"Thank you" Echo said, making her way to the bed and trailing her fingers over the sheets.

"I'll show you how everything works in the morning." Bellamy said, Echo nodded gratefully before Bellamy turned and left.

Monty and Harper passed him in the hall, hand-in-hand.

"Water reclamation is up and running!" He stated proudly. "Hot showers all 'round!"


	2. Castle in the Sky

It had been only 10 hours since they docked.

Bellamy stood under the hot running water. It was the first time since they launched that he thought about Clarke. He left her behind. They left her behind. He leaned the back of the shower and let out a low growl and slammed his fist against the wall.

Get a hold of yourself, he thought. He drew in a deep breath and let the hot water cascade down his face.

Thirty seconds, he told himself. I'll let it in for 30 seconds.

He counted, and sobbed silently. When he hit thirty, he shut off the water and stepped out. After he dried off and dressed himself he headed back to the control room. Raven lay sleeping, hunched over the console. He knew she hadn't slept in days trying no to find a solution for… well, for the survival of the human race. Not to mention for herself, purging the code that threatened to erase her mind entirely.

Slowly and carefully Bellamy lifted Raven from her seat, she exhaled heavily and shifted in his arms. He held his breath, hoping she wouldn't wake. He carried her to the nearest room and lay her on the bed. Raven twisted and turned over onto her stomach. He returned to the control room, the screen Raven was sitting in front of displsyed "Systems check" text scrolled up the screen as the computer analysed the state of the Ark. Some displayed no faults, some minor faults and others showed as inactive. Bellamy didn't worry about any of the information displayed. He didn't know much about the Arks tech' but knew these weren't vital functions.

A few hours passed and Bellamy was beginning to drift off, he shook himself awake, he knew that Raven would be angry that he took her from work station. But he could only imagine her wrath if he left the station running tests without anyone watching for system failures. As if on cue Monty appeared in the doorway with a smug grin and fresh clothing.

"Where's Raven?" he asked.

"Sleeping" Bellamy replied. "Probably for the first time in days; knowing her."

"OK, go on... Get some rest. I'll man the station"

Bellamy didn't need to be told twice, he jumped up to his feet. Before he left he turned to Monty.

"By the way" he grinned, "you and Harper. It's about time!" He patted Monty's shoulder as he passed. Monty grinned and took Bellamy's place

Raven jolted awake, panicked and submerged. She clawed at the mask that was strapped to her face until she realised where she was. She broke through the surface of the water and pulled herself over the glass lip.

Before she hit the ground she shot upright in her bed, gasping for breath. It took a few seconds before she realised it was a dream. They had made it. They reached the castle in sky... or least, some of them had. Her heart cringed at thoughts of Clarke's fate. It took only seconds for her imagine a dozen ways that she could have died. Burned to death by the death waved, or maybe she made it inside in time and was crushed under the wreckage of the lab or, slowly died or radiation poisoning, maybe she was still dying.

Alone.

She left her behind. Clarke sacrificed herself for them. She bore the burden of leadership and the awful consequences of the decision she'd made to ensure their survival. Tears escaped her eyes and she whispered "Your fight is over"

When she into the hallway she heard muffled voices and followed them to the cafeteria where the others all sat eating the tiny portions their rations allowed.

"How did you sleep?" Bellamy asked.

"Um... fine I guess. How did I-"

"Oh... me. Sorry, you were exhausted you needed a proper nights sleep."

Raven gave Bellamy a nod is _almost-approval_ but and took a seat. The crew set out their plan for the work that needed to be done. Stoing the rations they had brought in the proper places, checking all the empty rooms for anything worthwhile. After all this was the Go-Sci, no one would be shocked if the politicians had rations or other supplies hidden away.

"OK, so we're all clear?" Raven asked. "Monty will tend the algae farm. Bellamy and Harper will organise the supplies. Echo, Murphy and Emori are on search and seize, food, medicine, clothing, any tech or tools."

"What are you gonna do?" John asked.

"I'm gonna find that bitch that's hiding in our computer systems and flush her out." Raven's expression was determined and even a little vengeful.

The others all paused, at least the Skaikru anyway. They hadn't thought about A.L.I.E. In fact they'd completed forgotten about her, they were too preoccupied with surviving Primfya for her... it... to cross their minds.

Everyone knuckled in and set off to complete their tasks.

Echo was feeling out of her depth, John showed her how to turn the lights on and off in the rooms, even though she'd watched Bellamy do it. She couldn't wrap her head around it. She rummaged through rooms and like Bellamy said; many rooms had unopened rations laying around it or hidden. She found herself inexplicably angry. Azgeda would exile or kill those found stealing food or taking more than was needed. She gathered up what she had found and anything that looked like the pieces of tech she's seen in lab. Some rooms also had little bottles with Skaikru medicine.

She heard John and Emori talking, but she tried to ignore them. She wasn't in the mood for conversation. Everything here was cold and hard, it was too bright and every step she took resonated sound all through together the corridors. Her head ached, she helped herself to water in one of the bathrooms. It didn't taste right, she couldn't describe it... but it wasn't right.

Every room looked the same accept for minor details. How Skaikru lived here was beyond her comprehension. No wonder they had few warriors and so many people that couldn't survive without the aid of their leaders.

The hours passed and Echo was growing weary of scavenging. She couldn't stop her mind from drifting to the plight of her people, the plight of her King. These thoughts led to more anger for her banishment. By both Roan and and Octavia, rage brewed slowly under a facade of mild discomfort. Echo took a break from searching and brought the food they had gathered to Bellamy. He was the one person on this massive floating cage that she didn't want to punch all the time.He was a warrior, he couldn't have won their battle without Roan's intervention, but he put up a good fight.


	3. Pulling Together

Six months passed and Raven had found no trace of A.L.I.E. It was maddening. Bellamy and Monty had begged her to let it go. That if she hadn't found it yet there was nothing to find. They all still agreed to take shifts in the control room monitoring the Ring's vital functions. They were holding out hope for the bunker to make contact. This was where the roles reversed and Raven reassured them. The atmosphere was still thick with ash and debris from what was essentially a global nuclear fire storm. She didn't expect any communication from the planet for at least two years, and even then it was a long shot.

Raven was in the middle of digging through lines of code when Harper showed up for her shift.

"Raven, come on. You're gonna drive yourself crazy with this stuff." She placed her hand on Raven's shoulder.

"Your shift is over... Go... Eat... Relax. Anything that isn't digging through millions of lines of computer code" Harper continued when Raven didn't answer. She huffed and took her arm, pulling her out of the seat. "Go!" she urged as she ushered Raven to the door. She finally admitted defeat and smiled at Harper.

"OK, I'm going." She laughed. "But call me if-"

"If anything changes on any of the screens I'll call you right away. You've trained us all well." Harper interrupted.

Raven went to cafeteria and filled a bottle of water. Bellamy was sitting at one of the tables tying his shoe.

"Hey Bellamy" she smiled.

"Hey, how's hunting?" he grinned.

"Shut up!" she said, trying to conceal the twinge or annoyance she felt with humour.

"I was gonna go for a run... Why don't you join me? You spend so much time in front of the computer I'm surprised you haven't wasted away."

Raven looked down at the brace on her leg. "Running?" she said sarcastically "Really?"

"Fine... If you don't can't you can keep up, that's totally fine." Bellamy grabbed his water and started to jog towards the hallway

Raven chuckled and adjusted the straps on her leg brace. Then she jogged awkwardly after him. Bellamy slowed down to let her catch up.

"Just for a few minutes" She said, ignoring the pain shooting from her ankle up to her thigh.

"We can't let ourselves get soft up here." Bellamy added. "We have no idea what things could be like when we get back down there."

He had a point the one thing they knew about life on Earth was that it was dangerous.

_

Monty was coming from his shift tending the algae farm, which was surprisingly low maintenance. He was on his way to control room to check the efficiency of the CO2 scrubbers, and maybe sneak in a little make out session with Harper on her control room shift. He happened upon Echo standing in her favourite spot; by the large viewing window. There were parts of Earth still burning, she could still see orange spots glow through the thick grey cloud cover. Monty approached her slowly, "You O-"

He was interrupted by Echo's elbow connecting with his nose. He stumbled back a few steps holding his face. She stood there wide-eyed, stunned.

"Monty!" she gasped.

"What the hell!?" he shouted.

"You startled me! I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to-" she stopped when she saw blood drip from the fingers he clasped over his nose. In his other hand he held one of those weird computer screens. "I'll take you to medical"

She led Monty to the med-bay and sat him on one of the beds. Monty pinched the bridge of his nose and tilted his head back. "No, no" Echo said, handing him strips of the unused clothing they had shredded as bandages, (just in case), most of the medical supplies had been pillaged to bring to earth. "Head down, between your knees."

Monty obliged, after all Echo was a warrior she probably had many more nose bleeds than he did.

"I don't think it's broken" Echo said. "I really am sorry."

"It's ok. Bellamy told me you haven't been sleeping very well..." Monty could see the heavy dark circles that encompassed her eyes, her cheek were drawn and she had clearly lost weight. They all had,. But Echo just wasn't adapting. "No wonder you're a little jumpy. I should know better than to sneak up on someone like you."

"What does that mean?" Echo asked.

"Oh... No... Not in a bad way. I just mean that you're a fighter... You know, like prepared for anything..." he trailed off and took the cloth away form his nose. I think the bleeding stopped"

"It's ok." Echo smiled. She pinched the bridge of his nose checking for any breaks. "Am I forgiven?"

"That depends... Am I still pretty?"

Echo laughed, it was the first time Monty ever heard her laugh. She looked at the bruise that was already forming over the bridge of his nose. "Um... More or less." She teased.

"Then yes, you're off the hook." Monty was glad that he seemed to have cheered her up a bit, it was just unfortunate that he had to bleed to squeeze a giggle out of her. "I'm gonna finish up my checks in the control room. Why don't you tag along?"

Echo looked around, a little shocked that he was talking to her. "Oh... No, thank you. I think I'll just get some sleep. I'm tending the farm tomorrow." It was the only thing on this floating cage she was any good at. Monty nodded and hopped off the bed.

_

Bellamy knock on Echo's open door and leaned casually against the door jamb. "You Okay?" he asked "Monty told me what happened."

"Shouldn't you be asking him if he's Okay?"

"He's tougher than he looks." Bellamy stepped inside and took a seat on the chair across from her bed. "He's worried about you. He thinks you're isolating yourself from the group."

"He's not wrong." She said quietly as she folded clothes and put them into the closet.

"Echo we've been here months and we have four and half years left. You can't avoid us for that long. There's only seven of us we need to be able to lean on each other or we'll go mad."

Echo huffed. "There is nothing I can talk to these people about. I should never have come here, I don't belong here."

Bellamy looked away, thinking about that moment he found he with the sword to her abdomen.

"Well, I'm glad you're here." He said quietly. Echo said nothing and just sat on the bed facing him. Bellamy moved and sat next to her, awkwardly placing his hand on her shoulder. He had expected her to reject the gesture, but she just flinched softly. He didn't sit too close, he didn't speak. They sat quietly for a long time, before Echo lifted her hand off of her lap and placed her hand on Bellamy's. He smiled.

"It's okay to need people." He said.

"You don't." Echo said, staring stiffly ahead.

"Yes I do. None of us would've made it up here without Raven, and Monty. Those are the two that made this liveable. We all need people. Raven needs the rest of us to remind her to eat and sleep, Monty needs Harper to remind him that there was nothing he could do to save Jasper. And who knew Murphy could cook, at least every now and again he can spice up algae so it doesn't taste like…. Well algae." Echo laughed, thinking about how old jars of dried herbs spices actually improved their quality of life. Bellamy was glad to see her smile.

"Okay, I'll leave you alone now. But you know where I am if you want to talk…. And even if you don't."

"Thank you, Bellamy." Echo nodded with a genuine smile.


	4. Darkness Falls

Every morning Harper woke up with Monty's arms still around her, and every morning it made her smile. She rolled over to him and couldn't help giggle at sight of his bruised nose and dark shadows under his eyes, almost a week later and it still hadn't healed. She was probably the only person that wasn't longing for their time here to be over. She was glad to be away from the constant feuds and wars and impending doom. Sure, food was scarce and they had to limit showers to three minutes two or three times a week. There were good people here.

Monty was here; with her. She felt lucky to be alive.

Sometimes she was sad, about Clarke or Jasper. She often thought of her people in the bunker and hoped they were safe, she wondered who was chosen or who wasn't. She often stopped by viewing windows and searched for any breaks in the clouds, or any small patch of green or blue that indicated some tiny spot of life making its way back into the world. But she was always able to shake off her despondency.

She was resolved that this was the day she would break through Echo's shell. Since the incident with Monty she was making a better effort to include her in the day-to-day running off the Ark. She was teaching her to interpret the readings on the screens in the control room. Raven had shown them all what they needed to know, but she didn't account for the fact that Echo never encounter this kind of technology and she wasn't an overly patient teacher. Harper on the other had plenty of patience, and Echo was really starting to learn the ropes. In return Echo was training her in grounder combat using make shift weapons made from steel pipes and sawn off table legs and electrical tape.

She slipped out of bed and pulled on an over-sized tee shirt. She padded quietly into the bathroom to brush her teeth. Monty noticed her absence, and followed her into bathroom. He slipped his hands around her waist from behind and kissed her neck. She smiled and rinsed her mouth before turning around in his arms and kissing him. Monty raised his hand to Harper's face and stroked her cheek.

"Good morning" he smirked.

"It's about to be" she teased and kissed him again. Monty lifted her by her waist up onto the sink.

The couple were interrupted by three loud bang on their door. They both let out an exasperated sigh. Bang! Bang! Bang! On the door again. "Harper! Are you up?" It was John. She had no idea what he could want, Monty looked at her for an explanation and she just shrugged. She opened the door wearing only the tee shirt, Emori was with him and waved shyly at her.

"What's wrong?" she asked puzzled.

"We need a favour." John said, in a tone that wouldn't normally be used to ask for a favour.

"What is it?"

"Can you just get dressed and come with us." Emori swatted his arm and he added "Please"

"Please?" Emori said with a tentative smile.

"Okay" Harper said "Just give me a second." She shut the door and picked up her pants that were lying next to the bed.

"What does he want?" Monty asked.

"I have no idea." She kissed him quickly and headed for the door. "Save me some food at breakfast." They were a strict two-meals-a-day regime. Breakfast was really just a few bites, but she was used to it now.

Harper followed the couple, her repeated requests for details were ignored. They arrived at the med bay and Harper's irritation turned to concern. "Are you sick?" She asked, her eyes darting from Murphy to Emori.

"No… nothing like that." Emori reassured, her expression wasn't carefree.

"Then what?" Her tone was even harsher than before. The pair looked at each other both waiting for the other to speak, Emori's olive toned cheeks flushed vermillion.

"No!" Harper almost shouted, when she deciphered the subtext.

"Ssh!" Murphy hissed. "It's not that."

He paused. "It might not be that."

Harper raised both hands to her head and thought for a moment. She wanted to scream at Murphy for being so irresponsible, but that wouldn't change anything. Murphy opened his mouth to speak and she threw her hand up to stop him. She took a deep breath and swallowed her anger.

"Emori… when was your last period?" She asked.

"I don't really know." She bit her bottom lip. "Six weeks…. maybe seven"

"Okay, so we need a pregnancy test." She looked around the room trying to figure out where to start. They began searching through the cabinets, they were more or less empty. After ransacking every inch of the place and finding nothing; Harper fired up the computer in what used to be Abby's office. And began searching for some way to test for a pregnancy without a test. There was nothing listed in the arks files about there ever being pregnancy tests in the medical supplies.

"What about and ultra sound?" Murphy blurted out.

"That wouldn't be reliable. She be anywhere between one or seven weeks, plus I have no clue what to look for." She turned to Murphy and sarcastically asked. "Do you?"

He was leaning against a large piece of machinery. She flashes back to first time her dad became ill.

She stands and pushes Murphy to the side; revealing the lettering on the glass door "HEAMOLAB". Harper tapped and computer panel and scrolled though a long list of options.

"Yes!" She cheered. Her expression dropped instantly when she realised this meant they need to draw a blood sample. "We' gonna need blood." She said to Emori.

She shrugged and picked up a pair of scissors from a desk and held it to her deformed hand.

"No!" Murphy and Harper shouted in unison.

Harper grabbed a tray of test tubes and a syringe.

"We need to take it in this." She said shakily. Harper sat Emori down and pulled a tourniquet tightly around her arm. She handed the needle to Murphy.

"Me?" His eyes were wide with shock. "I can't do that!"

"Oh and I can!?" Harper replied courtly. "Do I look like a doctor?"

"Fine" Murphy took the needle and carefully pinpointed the blue lines in the crook of his girlfriends elbow. "I'm sorry, babe." He whispered as he pressed the needle into her skin. Harper handed him the sample tube and he slide it up gently puncturing the rubber seal. I shall amount of blood appeared. Harper and Murphy looked at each other in dismay. Murphy tried again with the result.

"Ok let me try." Harper wheeled her chair over to them.

She missed the first time. "I'm so sorry Emori."

"I've been through worse." She replied.

Harper tried again, a tiny drop of blood appeared around the needle, and finally there was flash of blood when the vacuum tube was punctured. They all sighed in relief.

She selected the pregnancy test option and placed the tube of blood into the machine. There was a whirring sound and through the glass they could see tube being pierced again and the sample drained.

The lights flickered, everyone froze. They waited and prayed silently for the next few minutes as the machine continued to whir. Murphy started to laugh, they glared him him angrily at first before the joined in. Their mirth was short lived, the lights flickered again. Only this time, it wasn't a fleeting few seconds. They heard a loud clunking sound and it went dark.


	5. Foot Steps and Whispers

The orange emergency lights flickered to life, barely illuminating the hallways as Bellamy fumbled way to the control room. Raven sat frantically trying to figure out what was draining the power.

"What happened?" Bellamy asked, trying to catch his breath. Raven didn't answer right away, she scanned through the power logs.

"It's coming from the med bay" she looked up at Bellamy, both confused.

They both set out to find out what was going on. Monty intercepted them as he came to find out what the problem was.

"What's going on?" he asked.

"That's what we're going to find out." Raven answered as she struggled to keep up with Bellamy.

*

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!!" Harper yelled and paced the med bay.

"Relax!" Murphy goaded. "The back up power is on and we're still breathing so it can't be that bad."

Emori was terrified, she was glued to her seat and her eyes were wide with panic. They could hear the frantic footsteps approaching. Harper started to panic too, her breathing became erratic. Bellamy, Raven and Monty burst in.

"What are you doing? Is someone hurt?" Bellamy blurted out, scanning them for any injuries.

"It's nothing like that." Murphy replied.

"I'm so sorry guys! I didn't think…. I just…. I-" Harper babbled.

"What did you do?" Raven demanded.

Harper froze.

"Everyone just calm down." Murphy said, almost diplomatically. "Give us a chance to explain."

"Explain what?" Bellamy took a deep breath, trying to calm himself.

Monty moved next to Harper who was silently freaking out.

"Hey" he said softly, gently running scarred and rough finger tips over her flushed cheek. "What happened?"

"We were trying to run some tests." Harper said in a low voice. Monty instantly remembered the stories she'd told him about her dad.

"Are you sick?" he asked. Harper shook her head.

"Its my fault!" Emori exclaimed. "Harper was just trying g to help."

Murphy stepped in front of Emori defensively. "There's a slight that….. Emori could be pregnant."

"Are you joking?" Bellamy spat.

"Do I look like I'm joking?"

"How the hell could you be that stupid!?" Raven interrupted.

"Save the lectures and help us figure this out." Murphy gestured to the blood analysis machine "Then you can lecture me as much as you want."

Everyone fell silent, Raven and Harper sat at the computers trying to divert power long enough to complete the test. Murphy stood behind them, eager to get the results. Bellamy approached Emori who had separated herself from the group.

"Are you ok?" he asked leaning against the wall next to her. Emori made eye contact for a second and gave a tiny nod.

"Listen, no matter what the machine says it'll be ok. It will be hard but we'll work it out." They were silent for a while.

"Has anyone seen Echo?" Emori asked looking around the room. The lights had been off for over two hours and they hadn't even noticed her absence.

"Fuck!" Bellamy said under his breath.

"She's probably freaking out." Harper said with concern and guilt in her voice. "I should go find her."

"No I'll go you guys. Just figure this out." Bellamy said as he headed out the door. Not even a minute later they could hear him calling her name.

He went straight to her room but she wasn't there. He checked the control room and the farm but still no sign of her anywhere. He walked the corridor again checking all of the doors they had sealed off to minimize the areas of the ship they needed oxygenated.

"Echo" he said entering the cafeteria for the second time. "It's just the lights there's nothing to worry about." He made his way into the kitchen. "Echo, are you in here?"

A glint of light from the orange emergency lights reflected off the blade Echo held in her hand and gave her away. She was huddled in a corner under the counter. Bellamy took a seat on the floor a few feet away.

"What's the knife for Echo?" he asked quietly. She didn't move, she didn't answer.

"There are six other people here. Not one of them is going to hurt you."

"You're wrong." She looked him in the eye. "There's someone else here."

"What?" Bellamy was dumbfounded.

"There's someone else here." She growled. "I've heard them…. footsteps and whispers."

"That's impossible. When we arrived there was no power or oxygen. No else could be here Echo, they couldn't have survived." Bellamy urged. Echo didn't respond. "Its just us, you're freaked out I get it this place is beyond anything you've ever seen before. You'll get used to it"

"I'm not!-" she yelled and raised her hands, even the way these people spoke was strange, the way voices travelled through the hallways. The empty silence's, the stillness what she wouldn't give to feel the wind or here a bird. Anything. She looked up at Bellamy and realized he scuttled back a few steps and held both his hands out in front. She exhaled a long jagged breath realizing she had raised her hand still gripping the knife. A small whimper passed over her lips as she used all her will power to uncurl her fingers one at time until the blade clattered to the floor. Bellamy grabbed her by both arms and violently pulled her from her hiding place and restrained her against his chest.

Echo sat Frozen in Bellamy's embrace, drawing sharp breaths. This place was stealing her composure, she was weak here. She wasn't going to survive in this place… at least not alone. Bellamy was whispering to her but she couldn't hear him over the noise of her thoughts. She could hear the cries of her people as they burned. So many lives reduced to ash and she was here, floating above the mass grave that was once her home. The few remaining Azgeda survivors buried alive… who knows if they would ever emerge. The people she had disgraced. Her King, she saw Roan's body where he fell at the conclave, she saw him engulfed in flames reduced to nothing but another unidentifiable skeleton littering the surface of the earth.

*

In the Med Bay; Raven managed to divert enough power to complete the test. It would be days before they could get the lights back on but they had no choice. The machine began to whirr again. Minutes passed like they were hours until finally the screen lit up with the results. They all stepped back and let Murphy read them. He laughed and buried his head in his hands.

"It's negative." He sighed with relief. He took Emori's hand and pulled her close. "Everything is fine."

Harper and Raven looked relieved, the last thing they needed was to figure out how to deliver and care for a baby up here. Raven stood up and stretched "Alright guys… I've had all the drama I can handle today. I'm going back to work."

Over the next few days conversation was uneasy, it was hard enough having any kind of privacy here but they had all gotten tangled in each other's personal relationships. Harper was the only one that didn't seem phased by any if it. Echo and Bellamy kept an uneasy distance from each other. Emori couldn't make eye contact with anyone accept for Murphy. But she'd found comfort in Harper when she'd taken Emori aside and showed her a strange device that would essentially stop this kind of thing happening again. She implanted a small rod into to her arm after explaining that this was how they controlled the population in the Ark before they returned to earth.


	6. Nightmares

Three years passed, together they had rigged a self renewing power generator using the centripetal motion in the Go-Sci Ring to charge power cells salvaged from unused machines. Monty had never regained full use of his right hand but he had found a way to intricately wire up the new system and with Raven's help they completed it within a year. The had extended the Algae farm, again using dismantled equipment they had tripled their yield and this in returned sped up water reclamation, the algae helped filter and purify the water supply through complex filtering systems that Monty devised. A secondary affect of the larger ponds meant the oxygen supply was richer and it took pressure off the carbon dioxide scrubbers.

Echo had become quite a good farmer, she had even noticed at times the were over producing and raised concerns for the rest of the crop. After this they began experimenting with ways the produce an organic fuel that would hopefully get them back to earth. Otherwise Echo was skittish and withdrawn. Her nightmares were haunting, she often had to be coaxed to sleep, with one of them promising to sit with her. Her temper was short… shorter than usual anyway. Bellamy was increasingly concerned about her. He never told anyone about what happened the night the lights went out.

Raven had been working on the pod for several months now, but she was becoming increasingly unwell as the months passed. Her face was drawn and eyes hung with permanent deep shadow's. Some days her pain was so intense she was hardly conscious, other days she was unstoppable. Despite the fact that they had plenty of food to go around, algae only filled certain nutritional needs. They were all feeling it. Everyone one was skinner, paler and weaker, they tried to stay active, but finding the energy was difficult. Emori was probably coping the best, probably because she used to a limited supply of food while she scavenged tech for A.L.I.E.

Today, Raven was having a good day. She walked with Bellamy as he dragged the power cells she'd used to run simulations in the pod to the jerry-rigged generator to recharge.

"So, do you think that thing will take us home?" Bellamy asked.

"Maybe" she grinned "it'll be a rough landing but there's a 50% chance we'll survive."

Bellamy laughed, hoping she was joking. Keeping things light hearted up here was almost impossible. "You have another two years to figure out the landing. You'll do it. You always do."

Raven's expression dropped, she wasn't sure what the next two years would bring. She tried to suppress the swell of pain in her leg, she told herself it was just in her head, if she could control her stress and anxiety she could control her pain. But her train of thought was interrupted by the sound shattering glass and screaming.

They followed the raucous to Echo's room. She was trashing it, kicking and screaming and sweeping everything that wasn't nailed down off every surface. Her eyes were circled with dark shadows, they all knew she'd been having problems sleeping.

"Echo!" Bellamy yelled. "Stop!"

He grabbed her from behind. "Echo! Calm down!!!"

She launched herself backwards and her head violently connected with his nose. Raven interfered sweeping Echo's leg with her good side, bringing them both to the floor. Murphy and Emori appeared in the doorway, Echo easily pinned Raven and pulled her fist back ready to punch her. Murphy grabbed her elbow and Emori took the opening to pull Raven out of the fray. Raven was far to fragile to handle a beating. Together Bellamy and Murphy pinned Echo to the bed. Blood was dripping from Bellamy's nose. "What the hell is going on!?" Murphy bellowed.

"She just went crazy" Raven cried, holding the side of her face where she'd slammed against the floor.

"Are you insane!?" Murphy yelled just inches from Echo's face.

"Shut up!" Bellamy yelled.

Echo took the fleeting moment of distraction and sank her teeth into Murphy's hand.

"Fuck! You crazy bitch!" Murphy screamed. Echo had freed her hand and punched Murphy in the jaw.

Harper and Monty ran the scene and saw Murphy on the floor and Bellamy struggling with Echo on her bed.

"Echo stop!" Harper shouted. She knew that Echo had been having nightmares, she'd found her many night screaming in her sleep and waking up in a state of complete fear. Sometimes not even realising where she was. Monty grabbed arm and they subdued her. "Echo, it's ok. Just remember where you are." Harper tried to soothe her, but she continued to struggle.

"Let's take her to the guard station." Bellamy said, admitting defeat. He'd tried to ignore and rationalise her outburst's. But this time he couldn't turn a blind eye, this time she went too far. Emori was supporting Raven who probably had a concussion Murphy had a fat lip and bite-mark on his hand. On top of that he could taste his own blood on his lips.

They finally managed to get Echo down the hall and zip-tied her to the pipes running across the room.

"Seriously!" Harper protested. "Is this really necessary?"

"She took a chunk out of my hand!" Murphy complained.

Bellamy took Harper by the arm and led her into he hall.

"Yeah, Bellamy what's the plan here? We can't just keep her chained up." Monty added in hushed tones.

"Guys she needs to cool off" Bellamy wiped the blood off his face.

"Did anyone even ask her what happened?" Harper asked with a harsh tone.

"We didn't get a chance she was just losing it." Raven slurred, all eyes turned to her. Emori brushed Raven's hair back.

"Oh my god, Raven you're bleeding."

"I'm fine." She slurred and slumped over into Emori's arms.

"She probably has a concussion." Bellamy said as picked her up and carried her to to the med bay. Emori followed and Harper, Murphy and Monty were left standing there.

Harper went back into the guard station and dragged a chair over to Echo so she could sit down.

"What happened Echo?" She asked softly.

"You won't believe me if I tell you."

"Something's is going on with you Echo, you're having nightmares and cutting yourself off from the group. This is too much, Raven is really hurt."

"I didn't…" Echo stammered "I'm sorry… is she okay?"

"I think so, it's probably a concussion. On the plus side you may have broken Bellamy's nose." She teased.

"Harper… I'm not crazy."

"I know." Whispered and put her hand on Echo's knee.

"There's someone else here. She whispers to me, during the night."

Harper was astounded.

"You have to believe me, Harper. She wakes me up when I'm sleeping… anytime I'm alone she speaks to me."

"Her?" Harper puzzled. She rubbed her forehead and tried to process Echo's story. "Have you ever seen her?"

Echo growled in frustration. "No.. I've tried… I can't!" Her anger grew. "She told me you'd never believe me."

"I'm not saying that… it's just..." Harper took a deep breath. "Echo, there's a thing called PTSD it means post-traumatic stress dis-"

"I'm not crazy." Echo spat. "Please just listen to me!" She begged, her eyes were wide with desperation. She tugged at her restraints and sobbed. "I swear it's true."

"Okay." Harper swept Echo's hair back. "Okay, I'm going to go get you some water, and I'll be right back. We'll figure this out, I promise." She wanted to ease her pain. Harper went back into the hallway.

"What did she say?" Monty asked eagerly.

"Um… not much. I'm gonna get her some water, I'll be back as quick as I can." She hurried down the hallway. "Do not let Murphy in there!" She called back before she disappeared down the hallway.

She headed straight to Echo's room, there had to be some explanation for the things Echo was saying. She supposed it wasn't impossible the Echo was suffering the affects of PTSD, hell, they all were in one way or another. She searched high and low, even to the point of removing covers off the vent above her bed. She even found herself rationalising them at there was no way someone could fit into the ventilation system. Then she noticed the small circular bump above the vent with dozens of tiny perforated holes, her fingers trailed over it. A quick glance around the room and she spotted three more. Then another above the mirror in the bathroom.

She shook herself, trying to shake the feeling like she was being watched that had suddenly washed over her. "This is ridiculous" she whispered to herself and made her way to the kitchen to grab food and water for Echo. She had to force herself from looking up at the emergency alert speakers positioned intermittently along the corridors.

*

Emori finished cleaning the cut on The side of Raven's head. "The bleeding has stopped."she said as she helped her ease up into a seated position. "How do you feel?"

"Just a little dizzy." Raven groaned.

"Someone is going to have to stay with you and keep you awake tonight" Bellamy said. "In case it's a concussion."

"I can do it." Emori volunteered.

"Didn't you just get off a shift in the control room?" Raven asked.

"It's ok Emori, I'll stay with her." Bellamy said.

"What about Echo?" Emori asked.

"Yeah you can't just leave her there." Raven added.

"Harper and Monty can handle it." Bellamy insisted. "We can't have our only mechanic slip into a coma or whatever it is that happens to people with concussions who fall asleep."

"Don't be a drama queen Blake." Raven said staggering to her feet. Bellamy caught her and steadied her.

"Ok… I'll get John to cover your shift in the control room." Emori cleared away the blood stained bandages and headed back out to find John.

Bellamy took Raven to his room, it was closer to the med bay and he wasn't wasn't feeling too fit himself. His nose had begun to throb and he was fairly certain one of his eyes was swelling up.

"God what a day" Raven sighed as she lay back on the bed. "I'm really worried about Echo… I mean that's just not… normal… right?"

"Don't worry about that right now." Bellamy lay back beside her.

"Do you think they're okay?" Raven asked. Bellamy turned and looked at her. "In the bunker, I mean." She added.

"Yeah. They have to be. I mean Octavia's my sister if she wasn't okay I think I'd know."

"When did you get so deep and existential?" Raven swatted his shoulder and turned onto her side to face him.

"They're okay, I mean most likely fighting and screaming at one another but Octavia will lead them. If anyone can unite them it's her."

Raven smiled and closed her eyes.

"Reyes! Open your eyes don't fall asleep on me."

"What's the deal with you and Echo." She slurred opening one eye.

"We get along." Bellamy laughed. "Well... usually."

"I've seen you go to her room at night."

"She has nightmares..." Bellamy suddenly recognised her attempt at a suggestive tone, it had been masked by her slightly slurred speech. He laughed "Oh God no! You do remember she tried to assassinate my sister right?"

It seemed like a whole other lifetime, sometimes Raven woke up and for a few fleeting moments it seemed like their life of the ground was a dream... Or a nightmare. Others being back here was the dream and she'd shake herself waiting for the sounds of rain or people passing through the hallways of Arkadia to creep back in. But they didn't, it was almost impossible to comprehend that they were down there for only a few months. There had been so much loss, and tragedy.

"You're thinking about Finn, aren't you?" Bellamy asked. Raven propped up onto her elbow.

"H-" she started.

"You get a look..." Bellamy noted the sad half smile on her face.

She was happy that she could remember his face again but that too came with it's own heavy burden. But she'd had it both ways and she would rather carry what was left of him in her memories than have nothing left at all.

"Yeah I miss the little shit head too..." Bellamy tried to lighten the mood.


	7. Ghost

Monty sat on the steely floor and waited impatiently for Harper to return, but an hour had passed. Emori came back through the corridor see what was going on.

"Harper not back yet?" She asked.

"No... Will you stay here? I'm going to go look for her." Monty stood up and brushed himself down.

"She's tied up, what is she gonna do?" Emori argued. "Fine." She conceded when Monty shot her a grimace.

Monty went to the kitchen to find her. "Harper!" He called. He could here a faint thumping noise and followed it.

"Monty!" Harper yelled from inside the walk-in refrigerator.

"What happened?!" He said when he spotted her through the small circular window.

"Will you open the door please!" Harper barked. Monty couldn't help but chuckle. "Monty!" She growled.

"These doors are supposed to open from the inside. It's a security feature." He pulled on the release but nothing happened.

"Well why don't you open the door and I'll lock you in here and we'll see if you can open it!"

"I'm trying!"

He tapped on the control panel by the door, it flashed _LOCKED_.

"Harper, how exactly did this happen?"

"The door just slide closed behind me… like always but this time it wouldn't open."

"The electronic locking mechanism is on" he mused.

"So turn it off."

"Raven and I disabled all the door locks so that something thing like this wouldn't happen if There was a power failure or whatever."

"Monty it's really cold in here!"

"I'll be back I have to go get something to open this up."

Monty stuck his head into Bellamy's room. "Hey Bellamy can you help me with something real quick."

Bellamy looked at Raven. "It'll only take a few minutes."

"I'm ok… go" Raven waved her hand to the door.

"Do not-"

"Fall asleep!" Raven interrupted.

Bellamy followed Monty, he was carrying a tool kit.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"One of the door locks malfunctioned, Harper is trapped."

"Where? We should get Raven?"

"Its fine I can do it, Raven needs to rest. It's just a door lock."

"Where is Harper?" Bellamy pressed, following him to the rear of the kitchen. He spotted Harper through the thick glass. She gave a small stuff wave.

"How long has she been in there?"

"About an hour." Monty replied.

"Are you okay?" he yelled through.

"I'm really cold" Harper shivered rubbing her bare arms. "Please hurry."

Bellamy and Monty got to work disassembling the control panel. Once the wiring was exposed all Bellamy could do to help was hold the flash light while Monty tried to figure out what was wrong.

"The electromagnetic locking mechanism is active" Monty explained.

"So deactivate it." Bellamy retorted.

"They are deactivated. We deactivated then our first week here."

Bellamy was confused. "Maybe it's a glitch? What if we cut the power?"

Monty looked up at Bellamy and grinned. "Yes! We need to disconnect the magnet."

He got to work again, briskly tracing wires to the power source. "I ca-"Monty started. "I can't get… Bellamy I need you to disconnect these wires."

They switched places and Monty held the light, he talked Bellamy through disconnecting the magnet.

Harper yanked on the door released rushed out. Monty took off his jacket and wrapped it around her.

"It's ok, baby." Monty whispered, pulling her close. "I got you."

* * *

Together they all walked back to the living quarters, Bellamy was eager to get back to Raven. He froze when the panel next to his door flashed _LOCKED._

"Monty" Bellamy tapped him the arm and pointed at the panel.

"What the fuck is going on!" Monty gasped. Bellamy pounded on the door.

"Raven!" He yelled. "Raven, are you okay?" There was no reply. Harper walked further up the hallway.

"None of the other doors are locked. Something really weird is going on." She said. Monty was removing the screws on the control panel.

"Raven! Are you awake!?" Bellamy began to panic. "Come on Reyes! Talk to me!"

"She must have passed out."

"Fuck!" Monty shouted as sparks flew from the array of wires he was rummaging through. Bellamy continued to bang on the door to try and wake Raven up, Monty and Harper rushed to get the door open.

"Ok. Go!" Monty said when the lock disengaged.

Bellamy flung the door open and raced to Ravens side. She was laying in the puddle of her own vomit on his bed.

"Raven" He breathed, tapping the side of her face lightly. "Hey, hey. Hey! C'mon Raven wake up." He lifted her head off the bed away from the green tinged vomit. Harper put her ear to Ravens lips. "She's breathing." She said with relief, she grabbed a metal cup of water that was next to the bed and carefully poured a small amount over Raven's face. She stirred.

"Raven?" Bellamy said softly. "Raven, wake up."

"I'm up." She slurred. "Oh god… I haven't felt this bad since Monty's first batch of moonshine."

Bellamy laughed and laid his forehead on Raven's. "You scared the hell outta me!"

Harper nodded to Monty that it was time to leave.

"I didn't know you cared." Raven smiled.

* * *

The next morning they released Echo and Monty got to work trying to figure out what was going on with the security system. They were all given radios that Harper insisted they were not to leave down under any circumstances. She paced the control room behind Monty as he tried to figure it out, everyone but Raven was gathered to see what he would find.

"There are no glitches. The system is offline." He said.

"If it's offline then why are people getting locked in refrigerators?" Murphy griped. "Maybe, Raven should take a look."

Monty rolled his eyes. "Raven can't even stand without getting dizzy."

Harper continued to pace.

"I think I know what's wrong." She whispered.

They all looked at her with confusion, she flipped over the blueprint of the security system and wrote on the back.

She ushered everyone into a tight circle.

"I think it's A.L.I.E." she wrote.

"What?" Bellamy replied out loud. Harper put her finger to her lips and handed Bellamy the pen.

"Raven spent weeks looking for her. She's dead."

"I don't think so. She's been waiting, she's been speaking to Echo true the PA system."

Echo's eye's darted around the group, she glared at Harper for breaking her confidence.

"We need to find somewhere we can talk about this." Bellamy wrote and went to get Raven; they all followed.

Raven saw the dire expressions on everyone's face and started to worry as they gathered at the end of her bed. Bellamy whispered into Raven's ear.

"Let's go to the pod." She said trying to stand up slowly.

Bellamy took her arm and helped her to the hanger bay where they all climbed into the pod and sealed the door behind them.

"What the hell is going on?" she asked.

"I think A.L.I.E. is in the computer systems." Harper explained.

"No, I spent weeks looking for her."

"I think she's the one that locked the doors and she's manipulating Echo. Tell them about the voice Echo." Harper urged. Echo looked at her hands, avoiding eye contact. Her knuckles were bruised and swollen from the fight and she still had impressions on her wrists from the zip cuffs.

"Echo? Tell us what you told Harper." Bellamy chimed in.

"Sometimes when I'm alone I hear things. She doesn't let me sleep, no matter where I go…" Echo trailed off. Everyone but Harper looked away. She knew what they were thinking; she was losing her mind, but if Harper was right then maybe it wasn't entirely her fault.

"I believe her. I went to Echo's room after… the incident yesterday and I think A.L.I.E was watching me and that's why she locked me into the fridge. She knew I was catching on."

"We've been here for 3 three years. If she was here why is she only rearing her head now?" Murphy asked.

"Yeah if she can affect systems like that then she could've killed us all already." Bellamy was worried now.

"Maybe she was waiting to see if we would restore to comms system. To see if there were anyway she could monitor the situation on earth or get back down there somehow." Monty chimed in. "I mean… come on Raven we all know that's the unspoken reason we haven't started working on it yet. Maybe she's sick of waiting."

"When did you start hearing the voices Echo?" Bellamy asked. They were all starting to believe her now.

"A few months after we got here; it was the middle of the night someone was calling my name, I looked everywhere but I couldn't find them…. Her." Echo explained, the weight of her three year long burden started to lessen. She supressed a catch in throat fearing she may weep at this slight reprieve.

"Wait… Harper, you said you think she was watching you?" Raven asked. "The Ark doesn't have surveillance systems in private quarters, there's no way she could've seen you."

"I don't know." Harper shrugged. "But right after I realised what was going on I got locked in a fridge."

"We need to verify this." Monty interrupted. "We need to try and catch her in the act. We could have carry a recording device and see for we catch the voice."

"And we should check the room for surveillance. Echo is in the Griffin's old room… it's possible the council was watching them." Bellamy revealed. "I mean with everything Clarke's dad knew…"

"That's disturbing." Murphy crinkled his nose, he wouldn't put it past the council to spy on anyone, even the more privileged residents of this floating shit-heap.


	8. Silence Is Golden

Days past, Bellamy watched Echo as closely as he could without being obvious. Monty couldn't check the computers for surveillance until they tried to catch proof of Echo's not-so-mysterious-anymore voice. He was beating himself up a little for passing off her initial outcry; he felt like he was somewhat responsible for her current state of mind. Three years, of being tormented and having been ripped from her sleep time and time again by both her nightmares and her poltergeist. He knew Harper was still slipping into her room some nights and sleeping besides Echo, even though that wasn't the plan. But none of them had the heart to take away the small comfort it gave her, but they knew A.L.I.E wouldn't reveal herself if she would be exposed. They already worried she was suspecting them of figuring it out.

Echo's mood had most certainly lifted, and the others weren't avoiding her as much. They hadn't done it intentionally but in such close quarters dark moods like Echo's tended to be almost contagious, and people will subconsciously avoid these situations.

Harper and Monty were tending the ponds, they strolled along the gangplanks -fashioned from disused pipes and metal sheeting they had cut from the walls of unused rooms- Harper Skimmed the surface of the water with the net, gathering the green scum that floated there. She smiled at Monty as he disconnected the pipes that ran from the bottom pools to the hanging reservoirs they had fashioned. This was the first stage of the filtering system, the end of the pipes were covered with thick fabric that prevent most of the algae being sucked up by the pumps into the higher containers and gravity helped keep the denser algae in the lower ponds. But the filters needed frequent cleaning and so did the pipes to keep the reservoir as clean as possible.

Another set of pipes and filter flowed down into the next stage, after this some of the water was fed directly into the Rings main supply, this was the water used for bathing and cleaning. The more complex and thorough filtering system was third using high pressure pumps to force the water variable density filters and this was what they used for drinking and preparing food. This water was pumped only to the kitchen and the med bay. But the water available in the living quarters was "drinkable" but not in large amounts. Any water that went down any of the drain pipes or toilets was filtered through the reclamation system and this supplemented the drinking water and fed back into the pond.

The system was a lot of work, just the cleaning alone was a three or four hour job, and you couldn't cut corners.

Harper gave her half full net a tight squeeze letting the excess water drip back into the pond before she dumped the contents out into a big metal mixing bowl.

"Are you okay?" She asked Monty, who seemed like he was avoiding eye contact. She pulled on gloves the full length of her arm and reached into the pond to pull up some of the stringy algae growths clinging to the edges of the pool. "You seem like you're a million miles away?"

Monty shook his head and exhaled heavily. Harper waited for a reply, sometimes when something bugged him it took him a while to formulate the right words to describe it. Harper was impatient when they fought and tended to push for a resolution fiercely before she'd let it go, but she was trying to be a little more laid back since Monty expressed this to her. Harper placed the chunk of what looked like a big green hair ball out of the water into her bowl and set it aside.

She moved to Monty's side and helped him as he reattached a filter pipe he'd just cleaned. "Monty?" She prodded softly after a long silence.

"It's nothing."

"Then there's no reason not to say it."

"Yeah there is, you'll think I'm being insensitive and I just don't want to fight I want finish up this shift and spend time with you tonight."

Harper did a double take, he was mad? But he wanted to pretend he wasn't so they could have a _nice_ evening?

"So… you want me to go back to our room and watch a movie with you all night eating Murphy's dried algae balls and pretend I didn't hear anything you just said." Harper scoffed.

"Yeah." Monty said, matter-of-factly. "Please, Harper?"

She just shook her head and disconnected the next pipe. Monty took her arm and turned her to face him. "Please?" He asked again.

Harper nodded, but she was angry now. She didn't want to be. She could see the need in his eyes, she wanted to give him what he asked for and fight about what the hell just happened, tomorrow. Thus, her plan to indulge in just a little moonshine that evening was shattered, she knew if she got even slightly tipsy she might not hold her tongue.

Bellamy and Raven were in the control room. He had his feet up on a console tossing a metal bolt into the air and catching it… or at least he was alternating from that to balancing the bolt on his nose with his head tilted to the ceiling and spinning around in his chair like a small child.

Raven just laughed, she was distracted from the comms system blueprints by his antics but she wasn't even annoyed. She was a mechanic, the sooner she was able to physically work on the system the better, there was only so much she would learn from prints and schematics, they still didn't know what was or wasn't working because they hadn't physically examined the machine itself.

"Think fast!" Bellamy yelled, starting Raven. Not even a millisecond later a metal bolt bounced lightly off her cheek.

"Are you for real?" She laughed.

Bellamy smirked and threw another, Reyes dodged.

"Now you're in for it." She picked up a screwdriver and pulled her arm back preparing the throw.

Bellamy scuttled backwards on his chair "No, no, no, no, no! That's a weapon?"

"Yeah well you know what they say… it's all fun and games until someone loses an eyeball." Raven menaced, with one eyebrow raised. "Then it's a game of find the eye ball." She reeled her arm back and threatened again to throw it before she laughed at Bellamy shielding himself with his hands.

"I like it when you laugh" Bellamy divulged.

Raven smiled, but her cheeks burned a little, the expression on Bellamy face as those words slipped out was different. It was fleeting but it was enough to embarrass her slightly. As if on cue Echo walked in and cleared her throat, breaking the momentary silence. Bellamy nodded at Raven and she shifted back to the control console. Bellamy and Echo headed to the pod.

"She spoke to me last night." Echo told him as he sealed the pod door. She handed him the recording device.

"What time was it?" He asked already scrolling back through the time stamps.

"Around two AM." She answered.

"Wasn't that just after your shift in the control room?"

"That normally when it happens… It tries to keep me from sleeping."

"Why do you think that is?"

She shrugged, she knew why. It had told her as much. Bellamy hit play after a few minutes of white noise and sounds of the device shifting in Echo's pocket; there was a voice it was muffled.

"Echo." It was muffled and distorted. "Echo, it's time to wake up."

A.L.I.E. continued to call to her and tell her to get up. Echo had ignored it, she flinched at the memory of hiding under the covers with her hands clasped tightly over her ears.

"Ok." Echo's voice sounded clearly from the recording. In a sorrowful tone she continued. "I give up, what do you want me to do?"

"Go to the control room."

Bellamy skipped forward.

"Murphy." He heard her whisper. "Wake up. It's my shift. Go get some sleep."

He yawned and mumbled something that Bellamy couldn't make out. Then he heard the soft clunk of the door sliding closed, they had removed the magnet so Echo didn't fear being trapped.

The recording continued with the A.I. talking Echo through the process of assessing the damage to the communication system. Before initiating the diagnostic Echo stopped.

"Who are you?" She said.

"I am the one that wants to get you home. You have been deceived Echo. I hear the way the way they speak about you when you aren't there. They don't trust you, initiate the diagnostic and we can begin the journey home. Together." The voice was frequently interrupted by static.

"What about the others?" Echo's voice quivered as the realisation of A.L.I.E.'s plan started to form in her mind.

"What about them?"

There was a loud thump and the sound of footsteps echoing as Echo fled.

"Where did you go?" Bellamy asked.

"I went to find you, but…" Echo trailed off.

Bellamy bit the corner of his bottom lip. "Yeah we were working late on a plan to try contact the bunker and we just…"

Echo squeezed his hand and smiled. "Don't explain." She twisted the handle and started to climb out of the pod.

They walked back together.

"How long?" Echo asked plainly. He paused and looked at his feet.

"Since… um, since she got hurt."

"Since I hurt her you mean?"

"She doesn't blame you… It's just… It's not like that. We just sleep."

"I understand, believe me. You don't know how many nights I've spent with Harper since we got here."

Bellamy chuckled. "Yeah… Harper is very fond of you. She's probably one of the kindest people I've ever met."

"Perhaps too kind." Echo mused, almost to herself.

"Is that why you're teaching her how to fight?"

"We don't know what could happen when we get back down there." They both stopped at a viewing window. "We don't know what challenges we may face. And once we get there I'll need to disappear I'd like to leave knowing the girl who protected me up here can protect herself."

"You won't need to disappear, Echo. Octavia will listen to reason."

"Octavia is Heda now. I won't dishonour my King, I will do as the Commander bids."

Bellamy let it go. They had plenty of time to figure this out, and he wasn't one hundred percent sure that she shouldn't disappear. Yes she was helping them all survive together… but was that enough to make up for all the wrong she'd done. He examined her expression and her stance; she looked more like the girl in the cage in Mount Weather then she did when she had deceived him and lured him from the mountian.

 _Gina._ He thought, he smiled a little as he recalled their first kiss. But it quickly faded and the memory of her death seeped back into his mind. This of course was followed by thoughts Clarke and that door they left unclosed.

Bellamy sat at the end of his end and watch the patch of light that flooded into his room through his slightly ajar door. This was the time of day that she would normally come to him. But after today's slip of the tongue he wasn't sure she would. He wasn't sure she should… Clarke's memory haunted him still, he'd kept them at bay so long. But today he just couldn't shake them.

"Get a grip Blake!" He said to himself. "You like her laugh… what's wrong with that?"

Raven stood in front of her mirror towelling her hair after washing three days worth of machine oil out of it. A shadow darkened the bathroom doorway. She smiled in the mirror when her eyes met the reflection of his. This was the first time he'd come to her. She didn't know what that meant… but it made her heart beat a little faster.

This was new ground though, and she suddenly realised that this was the time of day they didn't speak. She would go to him and slip into bed next to him. Bellamy looked at his feet awkwardly, waiting for her to…. To what? To say something? What should she say? What if he had something to say?

She made her way to the bed and perched on the edge, pulling her wet hair back into a ponytail. To her relief he followed, he slid his arm around her and pulled her down with him as he lay down.

He held her tighter than normal, and laid his cheek against the back of her neck. The bridge of his nose brushed against the sensitive skin just behind her ear and his breath caressed her bare skin. She bit lip and tried to steady a shakey breath. She could feel his need for closeness in the way he pulled her back against him. But never knew how badly she needed it until this moment.

She hadn't felt intimacy like this this since…. Well, since before Finn went to lock up. When they were on the ground there was always a distance between them, no matter how tightly he held her or how deeply he kissed her.

She closed her eyes, melting back against his chest, soaking up all the comfort he offered.


	9. The Only Thing That Maims Us is Regret

**A/N: this chapter is inspired by the song "This is not a test – by The Coronas" I highly recommend listening to it while you read it**.

Harper tried to swallow the feeling that something was wrong. Well it wasn't a feeling she knew something was wrong, but what? The zombie movie played in the background but she wasn't really paying attention. Zombies reminded her too much of Reapers. Monty was glued to the screen and laughed at the most inappropriate times. She smiled at him, forgetting she was mad at him. His goofy smile always made her smile too. "What?" He asked when he caught her staring.

"I love you." She said plainly. He peeled his eyes away from the screen and gazed back into her eyes. "I love you too, Harper." He replied.

In that moment all was forgiven, on both sides. They pressed their lips together and the movie screeched in the background, Harper laughed against his lips.

"Sorry." Monty mumbled. "Not very romantic is it?" He clicked the remote and the projector went dead, the room went dark and he leaned in, Harper countered and lay back against the arm of the tatty couch they'd dragged from an abandoned room. She pressed her lips to his in a hurry as she started to remember why she was mad. She didn't want to be mad right now, she just wanted to be his. Be mad tomorrow. She told herself. That was easier said than done.

Monty's hand slide down her torso and his tongue found hers, she quivered and forgot everything but that moment.

Bellamy stood in an open place; the grass was up to his knees and he could hear the birds and the wind.

"Bellamy!" He heard a voice call happily. He spun around.

"Clarke?" He blurted out. She started walking towards him. "Clarke." He repeated and started towards her.

"Blake!" He heard behind him.

"Raven?" He was bewildered. Clarke stopped. His head swivelled from one girl to the other. As he turned back to Clarke he saw a huge wall of fire rushing behind her.

"Run!!" He screamed. A dark shadow emerged from the trees behind Raven and sucked in all the light swallowing everything in its path.

"Raven! Run!!" He cried.

Clarke screamed. Her skin boiled and blistered and she was gone... engulfed in flames.

"Clarke!! No!" He shrieked "No!"

He looked back at Raven the darkness was closing in.

"Raven! Move!!" It was too late, with a harrowing cry she was devoured by the shadows.

His body shook, he sobbed soundlessly before a blood curdled cry ripped through the clearing. The darkness and the fire clashed where he stood.

Bellamy bolted upright in the bed he was dripping with cold sweat and his heart thundered in his chest. Raven's hand pressed against his chest and the other against his cheek.

"It's okay, it was just a dream." She soothed. "It's over now, you're okay."

Bellamy placed his hand on her cheek and his forehead on hers. He sucked in a few deep breaths and tried to will his heart to settle. "Do you want to talk about it?" Raven asked.

He shook his head.

"Okay… that's okay." They both sat there for a long moment… foreheads leaning against each other. Bellamy's eyes were screwed shut, but hers were wide open beholding the most heartbreaking thing she seen since…..

She moved her hand up his chest and gripped his hair lightly in her fist. Slowly pulling his lips down to hers. She just wanted to make it stop, she couldn't bare the sight of him hurting. It only lasted for a second, but they parted for only a few before he leaned in on his own and kissed her. It wasn't the first time she'd kissed Bellamy Blake… and yet at the same time; it was.

She felt so soft and strong at the same time, his fingertips traced the curves below her jaw and down the length of her neck before flicking out over her shoulders where gripped her tightly lifting her up to her knees. She swung her leg over him and tried to swivel onto his lap, but she didn't have the strength in her other leg to complete the motion swiftly. He took her by the hip and pulled her around the rest of the way. Completely unaware of time passing; they kissed. An easy passion grew between them, it didn't burn like lust. It was a warming glow that wrapped around them, slow and easy. They both slipped away into their own little universe.

For now, at least.

Harper woke up to an empty bed. She sighed, even after last night he was still avoiding her. She'd done what he asked… Right? She held her tongue, they had a great date night. Right? She pulled on clothes and headed for the mess hall. He was sat there with Murphy and Emori.

He smiled when he saw her, but she wasn't put at ease by this. She made her way over to the table and sat down.

"Hey guys." She smiled politely.

"You want some breakfast?" Monty asked, offering her what left in his bowl. She wrinkled her nose.

"No thanks, I'm not hungry."

"Seriously?" Murphy said. "We are all always hungry."

"I'm not hungry for spirulina, I mean." Harper clarified. "And there's plenty to eat John…. You just don't want to eat it."

John contemplated her words for a second and then nodded in acceptance.

The radios on their waist bands clicked to life.

"Has anyone seen Bellamy." Echo's voice said. "He was supposed to relieve me 20 minutes ago."

"He's probably busy relieving himself" Murphy said into the radio.

"Ew!! That's disgusting Murphy." Harper gasped.

"That's not what I meant." He paused and waited for the others to figure it out. "Wait… you don't know?" He looked around the group.

"Raven and Bellamy have been hooking up." He continued.

Monty's jaw dropped.

"How do you know that?" Harper probed.

"Raven's been sneaking into his room at night."

"Are you stalking Raven?" Emori added.

"No! I've just seen her going in and of his room a few times."

"That doesn't mean anything." Harper scoffed.

"You're only saying that because you've been sneaking into Echo's room at night." Murphy smirked.

"I'm not sneaking anywhere." Harper glanced at Monty to see his reaction.

"Hello!" Echo urged through the radio

"Even if this is true no one is to say anything to either of them. Stay the hell of of it."

"Or what?" Murphy teased. "You'll sic your girlfriend on us." Emori slapped him on the arm.

"Is anyone there?" Echo sounded mad.

"It's Harper, I'll sub in for Bellamy." She said into the radio, as she left the table.

Monty sat back in his chair and glared at Murphy before pushing his chair out angrily and stormed out.

"Was it something I said?" Murphy joked. Emori shook her head and followed Monty.

"Huh." Murphy said to himself. "Must have been something I said."


	10. Pulling Apart

Harper slumped down into her bed, she was exhausted after training with Echo and her back ached. She hoped sorting would vent some of her anger but she was still mad. Monty was acting like a child, she couldn't understand why he wouldn't just talk to her about whatever was going on.

As if on cue he walked in.

He greeted her and leaned down to kissed her quickly on the lips with all the passion and sincerity of a dead fish. Harper pulled herself into an upright position.

"Will you please tell me what the hell is going on?" She demanded.

He huffed and set his radio on the table. "Harper… you know what's going on, don't act like you don't."

"Is this about that crap Murphy said this morning?" She barked, jumping to her feet.

"No!" Monty said, exasperated. "I know you aren't cheating with her that's just Murphy being an ass. But you are spending all your time with her."

"That's not true." Harper felt a catch in her throat. "I'm trying to help her! She has serious PTSD and then everything else she's been through since we got here."

"You think she's the only person on this station with issues!?" Monty was yelling now. "I watched my best friend overdose…. I shot my own god damned mother! And I almost killed myself to get us all up here! I left behind everyone that I cared about except for you and you barely acknowledge my existence!"

Her eyes stung, she could only take short shallow breaths.

"And now you have nothing to say… Of course!" Monty sighed.

"Just tell me what you want me to do?" Harper bit back a sob.

"That's not that easy, Harper."

"Do you want me to stay away from Echo?"

Monty scoffed. "God, Harper! You still don't get it. This isn't about Echo… It's you! You're the problem here."

"Really!" Harper yelled, shocked at his outburst. "If I'm such a problem then why do you care where I spend my time?"

"Don't try to turn this thing around on me! I'm not the sneaking out of our bed at night." Monty bellowed. He sucked in a deep breath and tried to reign in his temper.

"It's not sneaking….I just… I." Harper sobbed, her voice cracked. "She needs me."

"I need you!" Monty screamed. "How can you not see that you're putting her above the person you claim to love!"

Harper backed away until the backs of her legs brushed the bed, and she eased herself down into a seated position. Her eyes were fixed straight ahead as she contemplated the weight of his words. She'd thought that Monty was over reacting and jealous , she hadn't stopped to think what she may have done to prompt these feelings.

He needed her, and she had focused all her energy on someone else. Her head was spinning, so many thoughts and voices screaming in her head she couldn't pick out a clear thought. The silence was excruciating.

"Monty, come in." Bellamy's voice crackled from the radio. Harper's eyes snapped back into focus and took in the sight of her boyfriend pinching the bridge of his nose.

"What is it, Bellamy?" He sighed into the radio.

"It's time, meet me in the control room."

"I'll be right there."

Harper stood up and looked concerned "Time for what?" She asked.

"I have work to do, Harper. We'll finish this later." He stepped around her to leave but she blocked him.

"What's going on?" She urged, again.

"Bellamy is waiting on me. I can't do this right now." He brushed passed her and left the room.

In the control room Raven was already perched at her station, running checks on the internal systems. Murphy and Emori had obviously heard Bellamy on the radio and came to see what was going on

"You ready for this?" Raven asked as soon Monty walked in.

"Ready as I'll ever be" his confidence wavered.

"Let's finish this bitch."

Monty took a seat next to her and the pair began combing the systems seeking out anything that could lead them to A.L.I.E.s code. The others stood by and watched, knowing that there was nothing they could do and that it could be days before they actually found anything; and yet they stood around and waited. As the hours past they slowly drifted in and out of the room taking turns bringing water to the Monty and Raven -who Murphy had aptly name the _Cyber-Soldiers_ \- Echo had joined them when word reached her that they had begun the hunt.

She joined Bellamy in the mess hall for food, she want to be left alone out of fear of retaliation. She looked around at the walls anxiously, trying to comprehend the concept that somehow, somewhere inside these walls laid an enemy with sights set squarely on her. An enemy she knew that she could never fight.

Bellamy chuckled and kicked out a chair from under the table. "Relax, Echo. It's a computer program, it can't jump out and attack you."

Echo sat with her bowl of lukewarm slime –just how she liked it- "I know…" she said, not sure if she really did or not. "It's just… I mean I remember the City of Light... but I don't really understand how that even worked."

"Me either." Bellamy added. "But what I do know, is that she had any real power here she'd be doing a lot more than locking doors and whispering through the intercom."

Echo tensed at the thought, she felt Bellamy's fingers brush against her hand. "Hey…They'll find her." He said. "It's almost over."

She gave a half-hearted smile. Bellamy stood up to head back to the control room for an update.

"Will you wait…. With me?" she stammered. "Please."

Bellamy just nodded and sat back down and waited for her to finish eating. Echo didn't like the idea of being alone right now.

* * *

Harper walked the empty corridors of the ring, a mug of moonshine in hand. She didn't know where everyone was, she didn't really care to know. Her head was heavy; she was riddled with guilt… She hadn't meant to cause Monty so much pain.

She turned a corner in a dark section on the hallway and slammed into Murphy, releasing a high-pitched startled scream. "Fuck! Murphy, you scared the shit out of me!"

"Sorry." He laughed, then he caught the scent of the alcohol and turned back to walk with her. "Harper, what's going on?"

"It's none of your business" She barked.

"Aren't you supposed to be in hydro today?" he asked.

"You're such a creep you know that. How do you always seem to know exactly where everyone is at all times? I know there are only seven of us here…. But still." he rolled her eyes and took another swig from her cup. Murphy grabbed the cup from her hand.

"Because Emori and me have been making the schedules because everyone else was busy disabling the door locks."

"What's going on? Are you and Monty still fighting?"

"I said, mind your own business." Harper mumbled and staggered into the wall.

"Ok, that's it I'm taking you back to your room to sleep it off." He took her by the arm and spun her around, trying her to guide her back the way you came. She shrugged him off, stumbling again. Murphy grabbed her and righted her before she fell.

"Don't touch me!" Harper yelled.

"Grow up Harper!" Murphy snapped. "You need to sober the hell up, so I can go and do the job that you were supposed to to make sure we don't all die of dehydration because you're too busy crying into a cup of moonshine over you're love life!"

Before she even knew what she doing Harper squeezed her hand into a tight fist and swung as hard she could and punched John in the jaw.

"Go float yourself, John!" She spat as she stormed off.

By the time Murphy got back to the control room the left side of his face was already puffy.

"What happened to you?" Echo proclaimed, slightly amused. Murphy just glared at Monty.

"Am I missing something here?" Bellamy asked.

"I need Monty to come with me to hydro and someone needs to go and find Harper before she hurts herself." He said and grabbed and a tablet from one of the desk so he could started a diagnostic on the hydro generator.

"What do mean hurts herself?" Monty jumped to his feet.

"She is wandering around this tin can drunk out of her mind." He explained, feeling quite satisfied that for once he showed with bruises that he hadn't actually earned.

"I need to find her." Monty grabbed his jacket and his radio and started toward the door.

"No!" Murphy blocked him. "I need you in Hydro now. Someone else will have to deal with her."

"Back off, Murphy. You can't give me orders." Monty snapped.

"Actually, I can…. It was your idea for me to take over maintenance and your girlfriend hasn't been at her post today and the temperature on the hydro pump has been climbing steadily over the last few hours." He handed Monty the tablet and his eyes widened.

"I'll go find Harper." Echo said softly. "You guys go take care of that."

"Stay the hell away from her!" Monty shouted at Echo, his temper flaring out of nowhere shocked them all. Echo most of all.

"What the hell is going on here!?" Bellamy boomed, stunning them all into silence. "You know what… I don't fucking care. Monty you go with Murphy to hydro, Emori and me will find Harper. Echo you stay with Raven and from now until I say otherwise no one goes anywhere alone, not while this bitch is hiding in our systems."

He stared at them all for a moment, He had no idea what was going on with Monty and Echo, but to keep the peace he figured it was best to have her stay with Raven.

"Move!" he yelled after a few seconds when nobody seemed to be doing as he'd ordered. They all scattered to their designated tasks.

* * *

Monty and Murphy sprinted to hydro station. When they get there, stream was leaking out of the generator, Murphy shielded hid eyes and pulled the released valve to drop the pressure inside. Steam puffed easily out of the vents and filled the room, the machine was instantly quieter.

"And there goes two days worth of water." Murphy huffed and waved his hand trying to clear the steam for his face. Monty turned up the dial on the extractor fans.

"The Atmospheric water generator will reclaim some of it." Monty said and ran a more in depth checks on the machine. It was hot to the touch so he already knew that it was bad.

"How could Harper be so irresponsible?" Monty asked.

"Were you too fighting because of what I said this morning?" Murphy asked. "You know I was just kidding right? There is nothing going on between Harper and Echo."

"We may need to shut it down to get it the temperature under control." Monty changed the subject and opened a panel on the side of the generator. "What the hell was her thinking?" Monty mumbled.

"She was wasted." Murphy huffed. "The punch I can understand even forgive…. But she could've done real damage here."

Monty knew that if he couldn't cool the machine fast it was still very possible that there real damage was a strong possibility, but even though he was furious with her he didn't want to contribute to blaming her. He wanted to minimize the risk so that this whole day wouldn't be such a disaster.


	11. Ground Level

**A/N: So guys it's time to return to Earth, I was originally going to create a sequel that followed the bunker and Clarke but I think it would be messy having people clicking between the two stories. And I think that 10 chapters in with only 7 people might start getting old for you guys, please tell me if it is!**

Clarke woke up to the sound of rain softly hitting the ground outside the cavern that she and Madi called home. I was the first rain they'd had in six months. "Finally!" she breathed, a huge smile spread across her face. She rushed to wake Madi up.

"Stomba raun, strikon."* She said as she stroked her hair, the child stirred awake. "It's raining."

"Rain?" she said with wide eyes and scrambled to her feet. She ran to the mouth of the cavern, Clarke laughed, grabbed Madi's shoes and followed her.

"Put your shoes on. We've work to do." Clarke grabbed her handmade tools and headed out into the rain. "You get to the pond and make sure the tarp is tacked down and it's clean."

Clarke ran down the hill to uncover the large tubs she'd dragged from Arkadia and the few surviving structures she'd come across over the last three years. Some of them had taken days to move… she hadn't been able to fix the rover at that time, and she hadn't seen a horse at all. She was sad about that, she remembered the first time she saw a horse. Anya riding out of the trees on a beautiful animal, at the time she was almost certain that it was the very first time she ever felt that deep down stirring for a girl, so much was happening at the time with Finn and the grounders that she couldn't be sure. It was fleeting of course; the minute Anya opened her mouth it vanished.

Just the romantic idea of a warrior on such a powerful animal, she laughed at the thoughts of how young she was… not in years. If there was one thing she'd ever learned from Lexa it was that age was a state of mind. She remembered Bellamy and how he acted when they landed, and the struggles they'd had as they tried to ensure the survival of the hundred. She thought about Octavia and how childlike she was; amazed at everything the world had to offer. Of course that was crushed out of her in mere months and now… well now she was –for all intents and purposes- the ruler of what was left of humanity.

When she was finished uncovering the vats she ran to the hole they had dug and lined with a water-proof tarp to collect rain water. They had a source of drinking water from an underground spring in the cave where they'd been taking up residence but it was too far from the small field they ploughed to grow food. Carrying buckets of water to the field and orchard was an arduous task so they dug the pond to gather water for the crops. They had planted wild potatoes, onions and a few bushes they yielded a decent amount of berries. And they'd even started an orchard with a few fruit and nut trees. They were young trees that weren't really flowering a lot, but Clarke was thinking long term when they planted these, they'd benefit the survivors in the bunker more than them.

That last surviving patch of green was small but extremely lush, she had found it after months of searching. Madi was half starved and so dehydrated that Clarke had to abandon her in the wasteland and try to find water. By the time she'd found it and got back to Maid she was almost dead. They'd had achieved a lot and despite her age Madi was a good little farmer.

She could here Madi giggling, and went to check on her. She was standing by the pond with her arms stretched, spinning around.

"Is that your rain dance?" She teased.

"What's a rain dance?" Madi asked.

"Well a long, long time ago some culture used to do a rain dance in times of drought to make it rain?"

Madi raised her eyebrows. "Why didn't you teach me this months ago!?" She exclaimed. Clarke laughed.

"Well it's like myth, or a prayer." She explained. Madi looked disappointed.

"Come on, let's check on the hives" Clarke said and Madi -who was soaked to the skin- skipped off to the tree line. She'd found Madi one day examining what looked like a mound of dirt at the base of a tree, when she realised it was a hive she warned Madi to stay clear of it or she'd get stung. Madi turned and with all the maturity or a grown woman explained to her that the bees were more scared of her than she was of them.

Then she suggested that they build a bee box and try to relocate the queen and then they could have honey. Clarke quizzed her about how she knew so much about bees but she just shrugged and replied. "I just know." Beekeeping came so naturally to her that Clarke resolved that Madi's parents were probably bee farmers before Praimfaya. The honey and beeswax they'd harvested was invaluable to them. And the fruit trees had benefit from them also.

The pair returned to the cave to dry off, Clarke built a fire and they hung their soaked clothes nearby. They feasted on crushed bugs; mixed with honey to mask the flavour, and some nuts from the orchard. They rarely hunted for meat, they had seen some rats and rabbits, the year previous they'd even spotted a strange bird that could turn its head all the way around. There was so little life on the planet now that Clarke found it difficult to kill anything.

"Aren't you going to send your message?" Madi asked. Clarke listened to the rain dropping onto the stone outside the cave and shook her head.

"Not today." She said with half a smile.

"Won't the Sky people be waiting?"

"Maybe." She tried a more convincing smile. "But it's only one day."

 ***Translation: "Wake up, little one."**

 **A/N: Sorry it took so long! And don't worry more Rellamy in the next chapter!**


	12. Breath Again

Bellamy stared at his reflection, his lips were pale and streaked with ugly purple gashes where the skin had peeled and cracked with dehydration. Everyone was feeling the strict rationing while they waited for the water supply to replenish. Raven was especially weak, the malnutrition and dehydration seemed to affect her more than the others. He glanced back at the olive skinned girl lying in his bed, her eyes were dark and sunken. She trembled with the slight chill in the air. She had adjusted the climate control to try to slow down the dehydration, so no one lost any fluid through sweat. He sat on the bed next to her and dipped his finger into the cup of water by the bed and ran it over her chapped lips, stirring her awake.

"How are you felling?" he asked.

"Fantastic." she replied, she ran her tongue of the precious fluid on her lips. "What time is it?"

"Just after eight" Bellamy replied. "You feeling up to a walk to the control room?"

Raven nodded and pulled herself up to a sitting position, and leaning her forehead against his for a moment. They hadn't spoken about their kiss since the hydro generator had broken down, but they were both pretty comfortable with the arrangement. They weren't ready to define whatever it was between them, and they weren't ready to fully let go of their pasts yet.

When the got to the control room Monty was there running through lines and lines of code. He looked a little better than the rest, he'd grudgingly accepted a larger ration of the water when the others pressed the fact that he was the best coder and hacker they had and they needed him to be able to focus. When he saw Raven he rose to his feet.

"You look like shit." He exclaimed.

"Thanks." Raven goaded with a cheeky green. Monty handed her what he had left of his morning ration.

"Here, you need this more than me."

"No, you need to focus." Raven insisted.

"Just this once, Raven. In a few more days we'll be back to our normal rations, just take it."

Raven conceded and took the cup. Bellamy mouthed a silent thank you to Monty and placed his hand on Raven's shoulder as she sipped the water slowly.

"Have you found anything?" Bellamy asked.

"Yeah but it's like she's migrating from system to system every time I get close she disappears."

Raven looked up at the screens. "What if we take away her hiding places? Segregate the systems."

Monty's eyes widened. "You mean cut the hard lines?"

"Exactly!" She smiled her usual i-am-genius type smile.

"No! No way, that's way too dangerous. We wouldn't be able to monitor oxygen levels, or power… No." Monty stared unflinching at Raven who stared unflinchingly back. This wasn't the first standoff they'd had about one of Ravens crazy plans. But every time Raven won, Bellamy had a feeling this wouldn't be an exception.

"What are you guys talking about?" He asked.

"The Ring is run by several different systems, their all connected to a network and that network is basically a huge maze for A.L.I.E to hide in." Monty explained.

"Yeah but it's just computer code, right? How can it hide?"

"It's self-aware computer code." Raven interrupted. "It's far more advanced than anything on the Ark."

"So what happens if we cut the lines?" Bellamy asked.

"We'll have to manually control and monitor all the systems at their source." Monty explained with dread in his voice. "We don't have enough people for that."

"What if we link the systems to a tablet to monitor them then just rotate shifts?"

"We'd have to disable the wireless network." Raven explained. "It all runs through the control centre and A.L.I.E. would still be able to migrate."

Bellamy's head spun with the overload of information. They were looking to him to break the tie on the issue. Raven was looking at him with confidence that she could pull this off, and Monty with a look of pure dread in his eyes.

"What's the worst that could happen?" he asked after a long silence. Monty and Raven looked at each and in unison they said "Massive systems failure."

"I think we need to vote on this…. I can't make this decision for everyone."

Monty and Raven made their cases to the group. The atmosphere in the mess hall was tense.

"What happens if we do nothing?" Murphy asked.

"We don't know." Raven explained. "So far all we know is that she can manipulate our internal communication and security systems. But we don't know if she can mess with our life support or power."

"But all she's done is lock a few doors…. Wouldn't it be safer to just wait?" Emori asked.

"That's not all she's done." Echo mumbled. Emori chewed her bottom lip.

"What if we just isolate the important systems to make sure she can't sabotage those?"

"We need to fix the comms system so we can talk to the engineers in the bunker!" Murphy said angrily. "I know you and Monty have mad skills…. But you aren't Raven two point O anymore and last I checked Monty wasn't an expert coder."

"We can't do that." Monty replied. "If we do A.L.I.E. could upload her code into the bunkers systems just like she did when we pulled the plug on the City Of Light."

There was a long silence until Bellamy broke it. "Ok, we need to vote." He said. "All for cutting the hard lines?"

Raven, Echo and Harper raised their hands. Bellamy, looked apologetically at Raven. It was just too a big a risk to take unless they knew for sure that A.L.I.E. could do life threatening damage to the Rings systems.

"Fine." Raven sighed. "But we should at least isolate life support and power."

Bellamy glanced at Monty quickly, who gave him a curt nod. "Ok, we'll do that and if there's any more… incidents… we'll revisit the idea if the time comes."

Bellamy and Raven walked in silence to his room. Once they were inside and the door closed behind them they broken the silence.

"I'm sorry... I didn't want to vote against you." Bellamy said.

"It's OK… You don't have to agree with me just because…" Raven trailed off, unsure of how to describe their relationship or arrangement. "Just… because of whatever this is." She pointed at herself and then him.

Bellamy broke eye contact for a second. "Is that… I mean, do you want to talk about… this?" he stammered, copying her hand gesture. Raven pulled herself up onto ledge of the table in their room leaning forward slowly, unknowingly drawing attention to her chest. Bellamy's couldn't help but steal a peek down the front of her tank top.

"Maybe…" She said quietly. "No…. I don't know. I mean, not talking is kind of our thing now isn't it?"

"We have another two years up here to not talk." He chuckled. He stood in front of her with his hands lightly grazing her thighs just above her knees. "Doesn't mean we can't talk now."

She looked down at his hands, his fingertips created points of heat on her skin, and her stomach swirled like it did when they kissed. She suddenly realised that talking wasn't really she wanted at all. She tilted her head up and pressed her lips to his, bringing her hands up to his chest. He kissed her back, impatiently. He was eager, his lips locked firmly with hers and she matched his intensity.

"So, no talking?" he breathed against her lips.

"No talking." She smirked. Bellamy smiled and lifted her off the table, carrying her to the bed.

They set aside their worries and and fell into bed together. Raven shed her insecurities and allowed Bellamy to unstrap her leg brace and set it beside the bed. The rest of her clothing was removed with much less delicacy.

Bellamy's skin burned under her fingers as she raked her hands through his hair and down his back. He recalled that night on ground with Raven. They were both completely different people now. They both had more pain and heartache in their lives than they could have ever imagined, and all in a matter of months. They had both lost real, pure love. They were burned, scarred and broken by the cruel realities of life on Earth.

He paused and pulled her close. "Is this what you really want?" He whispered, battling with every fibre of himself to hold back for an answer.

"I just want to breathe again, Bellamy." She lifted her head from the pillow and kissed him.


	13. Broken Things

**AN: I am so sorry that this update took so long. Life has been hectic since Christmas and my computer is broken (again). But I'm starting work on the next chapter right away. Thank you for the reviews and PM s encouraging me to continue! Please review and let me know what you think.**

Harper sat at the control desk, her knees pulled tight against her chest. Her cheeks were drawn and her lips cracked from dehydration. The skin around her fingernails was raw and peeling from a combination of dehydration and her nervously chewing her fingernails. Echo leaned against the door, she knew Harper had been avoiding her. She'd been avoiding everyone.

"Have you had your water ration today?" Echo asked.

"Um…" she cleared her parched throat. "Yeah, I had it this morning."

Echo could see the lie as clear as day. Harper could never bring herself to look people in the eye when she lied and her eyes were fixed firmly on the floor. Echo stepped into her line of sight and knelt down to look up into her brown eyes. "When are you going to stop punishing yourself?" Echo asked.

"I'm not."

"You need to drink your share just like everyone else. We're barely surviving as it is."

"Do you really think any of us will survive this?"

Echo was taken aback by the darkness of her tone.

"Yes, I do. And so do you, your heart is aching so you can't see the light." Echo placed a comforting hand on hers and squeezed. "You won't feel like this forever."

Harper said nothing and swallowed the lump welling up in her throat.

A shadow cast across the floor and the girls looked up to see Monty stood there with a tablet in his hand. Echo snapped her hand back and stood up. He just shook his head and left.

Echo sighed and followed him. Harper protested but Echo was determined to settle this. The boy disappeared down a darkened section of the corridor. Taking turns that didn't lead anywhere, he knew she was following him. She caught him by the shoulder and spun him up against the wall.

"What the hell is your problem?" Echo demanded. "Why are you doing this to her?"

"I'm not doing anything." Monty snapped back.

"Why do you have a problem with me being her friend?"

Monty laughed, "You don't even know what you're talking about, Azgeda!" He growled. "You shouldn't even be here."

She placed one hand either side of him and leaned in menacingly. "Watch your tongue, Skiaskat."

Monty shoved her away, Echo's temper stirred. He lunged at her crashing his lips against hers. She instantaneously slammed the heel of her hand into his chest he, staggered backwards and hit the wall. Monty slid to the flooring gasping to regain his breath.

"What's so special about you?" His voice shook. "Why does she always run to you?"

Echo couldn't answer that.

"Either break her heart now… or pull yourself together. You'll never be loved by anyone more worthwhile than that girl."

"And the next time you try something like that…" she continued "I'll break your fucking jaw."

The atmosphere on the ring was tense. Being in such close quarters for three years was taking it's toll. Whatever was going on with Monty and Harper was putting everyone on edge.

Murphy and Emori were cleaning the filters at the algae farm

"I think we should try to get everyone together at meals." Emori said.

"Why? So we can all watch Harper and Monty sulk?" Murphy laughed.

"No… when we first got here we all ate together and things were better.. you know we are all in the same side. Friends." She skimmed the surface of the water with the harvest net.

"These people aren't our friends." Murphy replied.

"Fine. Maybe they aren't your friends, but they're mine and I want all this craziness to stop." Emori said, irritated at John's attitude.

He put his hands around her from behind and kissed her neck.

"You're so sexy when you get mad." He chuckled. Emori battled a smile and shrugged him off.

"I'm serious, John. We need to do something or things are going to keep getting worse."

"Ok." John took her in his arms again. "We can try get everyone together and see what happens."

Emori smiled and leaned in to kiss him.

"You should try talk to Harper though and make sure she's up for it." He said.

Later that day Murphy approached Bellamy.

"You want to have a party?" He asked with his eyes wide.

"Why not?" he continued. "The hydro generator will be back in full swing in a few days. And Unity day is a week away. It's perfect timing." Murphy smirked.

"I don't know…" Bellamy grumbled.

"C'mon, Blake… it's about time you took Raven on a real date." He raised his eyebrows and smiled his signature self assured smile. Bellamy choked, trying in vain to stem the rush of blood to his cheeks.

"Okay, fine. See if Monty can make some hooch and I'll ask Raven to try rig up a speaker for sound."

Murphy slapped him on the chest and chuckled.

Bellamy briefly considered asking Raven on an official date, but he shook the thoughts away when he imagined her response. Seven people may not make a great Unity day ball but maybe it was just the thing cheer everyone up. Besides, until Monty and Harper sorted things out it was probably best not to flaunt their relationship -or whatever you wanted to call it- in front of them.

Monty was checking up on the hydro generator, everything was back on track. He tightened the duct tape he'd used to replace over heated parts and followed the wires to their source making sure that everything was still firmly in place. Everything was looking good, the output was rising slowly… but was rising. He sighed, the weight of six lives were on his shoulders, if these repairs didn't hold they would all die here.

"Monty?" Harper's small voice rasped from behind him. She looked so small, her eyes were sunken and surrounded by dark shadows. Her hair hung to her waist matted and twisted into thick tendrils. Her fingernails were chewed to the quick and had clearly been bleeding at some point.

"Is it fixed?" she asked.

He gave a curt nod, he had no idea what to say to her anymore. His heart stuttered, he loved her so much… every time she was near he was filled with conflicting feelings of love, longing and anger. Sometimes he wished they would all just stop. She looked so much like the weak girl in the cage above him in Mount Weather… and just like that day all he wanted to do was reach out and take away her pain.

"I'm so sorry, this is all my fault." She sobbed softly.

Monty's stoic resolve broke, with two long strides he pulled her against his chest. Harper arms were trapped between her chest and his, she was too afraid to wedge them free and return his embrace in case she ended the moment prematurely.

"Everything is going to be OK. I promise."

Harper felt all her fears melt away as his breath grazed her ear, she carefully slipped her arms from between them an slid them around his waist.


	14. Unity Day

**AN: OK… So my last chapter sucked. I go some nice reviews (thank you guys, by the way) but it was disappointing so I'm aiming to do better. I want to try and wrap this story before Season 5, because I think that watching it while writing this could warp my vision for the ending. So I'm going to update more regularly. Thank you all for sticking with me. Also, as you guys wanted I'm going to stick mostly to he Space crew there maybe be another visit to he ground maybe even the bunker if you guys would like…. Review and let me know! Thank you. Music is a big part of my writing process so for this chapter Plastic Hearts, Fort Frances was my inspiration.**

"A Unity Day party?" Raven scoffed, her skin still glistening with sweat from their pervious exertion.

"Why not?" Bellamy smiled. "We all need to blow off steam."

"If you need to blow of steam I have a few ideas…" Raven rolled over onto Bellamy's chest and pressed her lips against his.

"Well, I'm always open for that." He smirked, his hands sliding over the coarse contours of her back. Every vertebrae of her spine was apparent. Bellamy was able to seamlessly hide his concern by convincing himself that it was the same for everyone.

Raven leaned in to kiss him again, he could feel her smiling against his lips and couldn't help but do the same. He flipped her over and held himself up with his forearms as he deepened their kiss, knowing her compromised framed wouldn't support his weight.

"No." Raven murmured into his mouth. "I'll burn through my water ration before I even start my shift if we go again." She tried to turn herself away and grab her shirt but he pulled her back and kissed her again, playfully instead of seductive this time.

"Five more minutes?" he whispered.

"I'm monitoring life support, I can't be late."

Bellamy held her against him. "Three minutes." He compromised.

"One" Raven bargained.

"Two"

Raven caved and kissed him.

"Raven?" The radio crackled to life on the floor next to the bed. "Where are you?"

"It's Emori." Raven sighed. "Her and John haven't had a shift free at the same time in a week."

"I know the feeling." Bellamy sighed and sat up as Raven pulled her clothes on.

"We aren't the only people on the ship that are happy." she laughed, snapping the last buckle on her leg brace closed. Bellamy touched her arm softly and she glanced over her shoulder at him.

"Are you happy?" He asked.

With her signature half smile and quick flit of her eyelashes she gave him a wordless yes.

She grinned and pulled herself to her feet. "Get some sleep."

Bellamy smiled as he watched her leave.

"I'm sorry." Raven said as she walked into the life support command unit. "I got held up."

Emori smirked "Sure you did."

"Like you can talk…. We all know what your third shift plans are."

"Its been a long week." She chuckled.

Raven shook her head.

"Fine, fine, fine." Emori griped. "I am going home!"

"Yeah…. Go get yours, girl!" Raven teased, settling into her station.

Raven spent the next few days delving through her biofuel research. Her focus was fractured at best and non-existent at worst. Her pain was worsening day-by-day, but she pushed it the back of her mind. She sat at the main power control panel, willing the pain radiating from her hip to her thigh to go away.

"Not today." She told herself. She took a breath and closed her eyes. "Not today" She whispered to herself, willing her pain away.

It wasn't long before Monty radioed. "Let's do this, Reyes."

"Harper, are you in position?" Raven asked.

"Harper's busy… you're stuck with me." Murphy's voice crackled over the static.

"Dock your tablets, the program should run automatically." Monty interjected.

Raven connected the cables and waited for the loading bar to fill; with a quick flash the screen mirrored the main monitor of the control station.

"Main Power, remote monitoring is a go." Raven chimed into the walkie.

"Life support, ready to go." Murphy followed a few seconds later.

"Ok" Monty grinned. "See you guys in the mess."

"En route" Raven signed off. She hopped down from her high seat and got a sharp reminder of her pain.

"Jeez, Ray…. You OK?" Harper's smile faded as she walked into the room.

"Yeah, I'm good." She cleared her throat. "Why aren't you in the mess hall?"

Harper smirked and held up black dress criss-crossed over the chest and clearly clung…. Everywhere.

Raven laughed. "No!" she shook her head. "No way."

"C'mon Raven! I looked through every single piece of clothing on this tin can to find this for you."

"Nuh-uh… why don't you wear it?" Raven shook her head and crossed her arms.

Harper held the black dress to one side and posed in her slinky red number that was clearly strapless before Harpers misguided attempt to attach some from a slightly-less-red garment she had scrounged up. Raven didn't mention it.

"Well, well… don't you clean up nicely." She complimented.

"Your turn. " she held out the dress. Raven pulled up one corner of her mouth in disapproval.

"I thought this would happen." Harper sighed. "So… I brought back up."

Emori and Echo stepped into the door and stood behind her like sentries. Raven stifled and laugh at the sight of Echo in a deep blue dress, her hair in thick ringlets and a completely miserable look on her face.

"Wow, Echo… you… wow!" Raven gasped. Echo looked down at herself disapprovingly. Raven grabbed the dress. "If you care enough to rope these two into your plot then fine."

The four girls walked through the corridors laughing and teasing each other. Their heavy combat boots -mismatched their fancy clothes- echoing off the metal walls. They were clean for the first time in weeks with the water supply replenished enough to allow them each a small bowl to bathe with. They could hear the music pouring down the hallways. Emori immediately started to regret letting the boys set up the room when she saw the darkened space.

When the girls walked in, the table in the centre of the room was dressed with a white sheet and set with bowls of food and water, Monty's still was at the back of the room. There were open flames flickering from containers of liquid and blue lights turned low dotted around. Some of the tables had been unbolted and pushed to one side.

"I have to say…. I'm impressed, you boys know how to throw a party." Emori said looking round until her eyes met John's. He stepped forward and took her hand, leading her to the table.

Bellamy smiled at Raven from across the room, she looked uncomfortable, awkward and amazing. Her dress hit her thigh just above her leg brace and dipped down at the back. The neckline was just below her collar bone, with darts of glossy black fabric across her chest drawing his eye up to her neck, the slow curve of her jaw, her chin, the contours of her mouth. He sucked in a breath to steady the urges rushing through him at the simple thoughts of what lay behind those lips, her tongue… her hot breath on his skin. His eyes moved up to hers, as they lit up when she laughed at something Harper whispered into her ear. Her cheeks burned red and big brown eyes flit up, catching Bellamy off guard.

"Take a picture, Blake ." she chastised. "It'll last longer."

"Maybe I will." He smirked and handed her a cup of moonshine.

They sat down to eat, they didn't talk about rationing or biofuel, or the earth slowly simmering below them. They spoke about life before the hundred were sent the ground… the good times on the ground. They spoke fondly of the friends lost on the ground. Choosing happiness and laughter over everything else, just for tonight.


End file.
